Adept: an advanced occultist.

Archmage: a master occultist.

Athame: a double-edged ritual blade used in Wicca, and similar pagan magickal systems, although this term could also be applied to any short magical blade (like the trusty lockblade you carry everywhere — including the astral).

Astral: a reference to the astral plane.

Astral Plane: a multi-faceted, fluid, and perpetually changing environment populated by "imaginings" as well as a variety of flora and fauna. One’s astral experience is directly related to one’s vibratory rate. The astral can be entered into through either meditation or the "Dreamworld."

Aura: a natural, protective radiation which emanates from the physical body, and which can be "interpreted" by means of clairvoyant sight. Our aura identifies our true nature as spiritual beings.

Automatism: a form of mediumship, by which an individual goes into a trance and allows their hand to be manipulated by the subconscious, the overmind, or an external Intelligence, in order to receive messages via automatic writing or the use of a planchette.

Avatar: a "third-person" representative which you manipulate through the Dreamworld and the astral by the force of your Will.

Banishment: the act of chasing the boogyman outta yer livingroom — best accomplished through the use of cold iron, as most incantations, astral tracings, and "words of power" have proved inefficient in this capacity.

Black Magic: the use of negative energies for selfish or hostile purposes.

Boogyman: a generic term used to denote any hostile astral or etheric entity.

Chakra: a Sanskrit term used to refer to any one of the seven major "energy vortexes" (as well as the minor ones located at the hands and feet) within the subtle body.

Channeling: (AKA "Direct Voice Phenomenon"). In my humble opinion, 10% Possession and 90% Bullshit (see also "glossolalia").

Clairaudience: "true hearing," most commonly experienced simply as a faint "voice in your head," but sometimes takes the form of actual spoken words, which occasionally have been reported as being audible to multiple witnesses.

Clairvoyance: "true seeing," by interpreting a subtle combination of impressions and symbolic images in the "mind’s eye." The clarity of this vision is dependant upon your aptitude, spiritual development, and level of magickal training.

Classical Ceremonial Magick: any of a variety of magickal systems (usually of Western origin) which rely primarily upon complex and elaborate rituals which must be performed to exact specifications utilizing rare and precious handcrafted instruments. Usually, nothing more than a bunch of wealthy elitists participating in a big circlejerk.

Coincidence: what happens when the spirits are trying to tell you something.

Cult: a group of any sort (size and stated purpose are irrelevant) whose leader claims to be "infallible," and thus has the right to exert total control over his (or her) followers "for their own good." Theft of time and money (as well as sexual exploitation) is commonplace. In extremis, followers could be subject to beatings and torture, exploited as slave laborers, or even executed (usually for the crime of "desertion").

Deosil: walking in a clockwise (or "sunwise") circle, the traditional direction for "building" or "creating" rituals.

Depression: a state of lowered energy and lowered vibrations, frequently caused by the direct influence of negative entities.

Destiny: when a certain individual’s fate has been predetermined by higher powers (which can be made clearly evident through the experience of numerous uncanny "coincidences" which seem to force one along a specific path — often in variance to one’s "free will," however stubborn one might be).

Dreamworld: a semi-imaginary landscape comprised of elements of both your subconscious mind and a segment of the astral plane. The part of the Dreamworld you find yourself in depends largely upon your vibratory rate.

Dumbass: poseurs, wanna-bes, flakes, whackos, charlatans, and a variety of other fools making up approximately two-thirds of the "New-Age" movement.

Dogma: a set of rigid (usually theological) beliefs, which usually entails verbatim memorization of various "official" quotes and dictums.

Ectoplasm: a clear, slime-like, quickly-evaporating residue (which smells like ozone) sometimes left behind when an etheric entity (or emanation) passes through a solid object — it can be encountered in large quantities when you poke the boogyman with an iron spike!

Emissary: a representative of a Deity, Archangel, or other powerful Intelligence deemed "too important" to be bothered with our piddling wants and needs.

Ether: a reference to the semi-material substance of the etheric plane.

Etheric Disruptor: a physical material capable of inflicting harm upon etheric entities (i.e., silver or iron).

Etheric Plane: a fluid, trans-dimensional environment in which a projector can observe, and interact with, people and objects in the physical realm we perceive as "reality."

Evocation: a word used by Classical Ceremonial magicians to refer to the conjuration of a demonic entity.

Focus: intense concentration.

Frequency: a "pseudo-scientific" term relating to one’s vibratory rate.

Glossolalia: "speaking in tongues," an indicator that one has either been possessed by an inferior spirit, or is simply a flaky twit who likes attention.

Grey Magick: the moderate application of negative magick in order to defend oneself or bring about a positive end result. "Justifiable negativity."

Guru: a spiritual huckster.

Illumination: a temporary state in which one makes contact with one’s "Higher Self," the "Overmind," the "Grid of Consciousness," the "Superconscious," or even the "Mind of God." Depending on the duration and intensity of one’s experience, one might feel compelled to "claim one’s rightful place" as a "guru" or something.

Incantation: a phrase, or series of phrases, allegedly imbued with great magickal power. Often, these phrases either rhyme or utilize words from a "dead language" (such as Latin or Sumerian), or even may be spoken in Enochian (a nonsensical magickal language transcribed by John Dee). Usually nothing more than gobbledegook.

Intent: desire.

Intuition: a curious phenomenon by which important information is relayed to you via means too subtle for you to adequately describe with mere words.

Invisible: not capable of being observed with the unaided physical eyes.

Invocation: a word used by Classical Ceremonial magicians to refer to the act of summoning a positive (or neutral) spirit.

Karma: a Buddhist term which refers to the fact that negative actions attract negative energies — which results in bad luck. Supposedly, every evil deed accumulates another "karmic smudge" upon your subtle body, which can only be removed through suitable atonement. This is a similar concept to the Wiccan "Law of Return."

Lucid Dream: a dream in which the dreamer realizes that he is dreaming, and then intentionally directs his dream-avatar’s activities. This is usually an indicator that one has projected into the astral.

Lycanthropy: an advanced magickal technique by which the adept changes his ethereal form into that of an animal, and can increase its density in order to appear to (or even attack) beings on the physical plane of existence (a variant on this would be the possession and manipulation of a pre-existing animal).

Magician: one who skillfully employs magickal concepts — although the term implies the use of a formal ceremonial system.

Magick: a spelling proposed by Aleister Crowley to distinguish thaumaturgy from prestidigitation.

Manifestation: when a powerful spiritual entity becomes visible to non-clairvoyants. In rare cases, this "vision" may even acquire mass and density.

Mantra: a significant tone, word, or phrase which is repeated aloud in hopes of inducing an altered state of consciousness.

Meditation: any of a variety of mental techniques which can include: clearing the mind, contemplation, intense concentration, or expansion of consciousness.

Merkaba: a Sanskrit term for a conceptual vehicle commonly referred to as an "ethership." Another term sometimes heard is "vimana."

Mudra: a hand gesture believed to have magickal significance.

Mystic: a person who believes in any aspect of the invisible world.

Natural: an individual who has developed their psychic abilities with minimal (if any) instruction, and who has always made use of magickal concepts unconsciously. Such a person likely had developed these powers in a previous incarnation.

Negative: "evil," "low-frequency," coarse, malevolent, injurious, "yang," Omega.

Neophyte: a novice practitioner with undeveloped abilities and little practical experience.

New-Age: a term commonly used in reference to any (often fictional or grossly inadequate) source of occult knowledge by Unitarians, dilettantes, ignoramuses, and the mentally ill.

Occultist: a serious student of the occult, as opposed to a dilettante.

Obsession: an unhealthy compulsion, frequently attributed to repeated contact with negative entities. An obsessed individual will typically neglect his physical responsibilities in order to focus exclusively upon the mystical.

Overmind: one’s true "higher self" — a spiritual consciousness which we are usually unaware of, from which we receive messages via intuition, automatism, and occasionally clairaudience.

Paresthesia: the medical term for "tingling skin."

Physical: refers to aspects of the coarse, three-dimensional world most people experience as "reality."

Pineal Gland: a mysterious gland located precisely at the "brow chakra" or "third eye," which is sensitive to light and magnetism.

Pipestone: red catlinite, a soft rock sacred to all Native Americans which is sculpted into the bowl piece for traditional pipes. Pipes made in this fashion are not intended for sale to tourists or other outsiders, and can bring extremely bad luck to those who lack the proper respect for them.

Positive: "good," "high-frequency," fine, benevolent, healing, "yin," Alpha.

Possession: Actual occupation of a physical body by a discorporate entity. This typically takes place when the physical body has been corrupted by the excessive consumption of alcohol, and is generally only temporary. This state can become semi-permanent in the event that the "host" actually gives the entity permission to take possession of his (or her) body — often after first having become obsessed with communicating with the entity.

Psionics: the negative use of psychic powers — also another word for "radionics."

Psychic: a vague and oft-misused word used to refer to anyone with any inkling of paranormal ability, but usually used to denote one with the power of precognition.

Psychic Attack: the use of "black magic" to harm, harass, or dominate another.

Qabalah: (AKA "Kabbalah") a Classical Ceremonial type of magick based largely upon traditional Judaic theology.

Radionics: the application of electronic principles to direct one’s subtle energies.

Reality: how one perceives the world around oneself.

Ritual: the act of following specific guidelines for one’s magickal workings — which is generally both unnecessary and counter-productive.

Satanist: a negative individual who exemplifies the vice of selfishness — whether they believe in "Satan" or not (admittedly, an imperfect and oft-misused word).

Scrying: a method of inducing clairvoyant visions by inducing a trance whilst staring into the depths of a crystal ball, mirror, polished rock slab, glass block, pool of water, or virtually any other reflective surface.

Shaman: a practitioner of any form of primitive ceremonial magick.

Significant: meaningful. Important.

Sorcerer: a "natural" magician with negative goals.

Spike Stiletto: a sharpened iron rod (sometimes silver-plated) used to banish negative entities.

Spirit: an invisible Intelligence, usually human in origin, which can sometimes be called upon for assistance in earthly matters.

Subtle: beyond the realm of one’s "normal" perceptions. "Invisible."

Subtle Body: the aura, which encompasses the astral and etheric "vehicles."

Synesthesia: medical term for a form of clairvoyance characterized by a breakdown of boundaries between the senses (i.e., "tasting" shapes, or "seeing" sounds).

Thought-Form: a conceptual construct charged with the creator’s energy and "programmed" to perform a specific task (usually negative).

Trance: any of a variety of psychological states in which an individual’s perceptions undergo a significant change.

Tulpa: a Tibetan term referring to a semi-permanent, humanoid thought-form with an apparent "life of its own."

UFO: an Unidentified Flying Object which cannot easily be dismissed as an optical illusion or rare natural phenomenon.

Vampirism: the parasitic draining of another’s vital essence.

Verver: a Haitian word which refers to a complex sigil that corresponds to a particular spirit, and is used to summon that spirit during a Voodoo ceremony.

Vibratory Rate: the "frequency" of one’s subtle body, which is determined by one’s state of mind and level of development. One’s frequency is subject to change, dependant upon one’s thoughts and actions.

Vital Essence: lifeforce (AKA: subtle energies, chi, baraka, prana, vril, or "magnetic fluid").

Walk-in: a spiritual possession, usually voluntary, but may also occur in times of extreme stress (such as when undergoing surgery, or facing mortal danger).

Wand: a small rod-like instrument used as a focal point for one’s magickal energy.

White Light: extremely powerful energy from the highest planes of existence, which can be used for various forms of positive magick, specifically protection and healing.

Wicca: a contemporary, nature-based pagan religion derived from a variety of sources and usually practiced with positive intentions. Its history is questionable, and its practitioners often cling to dogma they don’t fully understand, but at least it’s better than Christianity.

Widdershins: walking in a counter-clockwise circle, the traditional direction for working destructive or banishing rituals.

Will: focused intent.

Witchcraft: an overused term which refers to any pagan belief system in which magick plays a prominent role. Nowadays, this term is almost exclusively used in reference to Wicca.

Wizard: a "natural" magician with positive goals.

Wizard Eye: a type of etheric projection which usually takes the form of a basketball-sized globe with a camera lense or cyclopean "eye" attached. This personalized, special-purpose construct is usually used by sorcerers to spy on their enemies.

Word of Power: a word which allegedly is imbued with great magickal power, however, this usually does not prove true. In my own personal experience, the two Words which seem to hold the greatest power are "please" and "no."

World-View: an individual’s (or group’s) concept of "reality."